Collection
by brightnote
Summary: The "Craig's List Killer" strikes for the fifth time and the FBI decides to take over the investigation from the NYPD, and Benson starts to suspect her new fiance as the killer, but the inquiry might be enough to get her killed. R/R Maybe Benson/Porter
1. Chapter 1

Premise; For a little over six months the squad has been dealing with the "Craig's List Killer" someone with high tech gear and can out smart the NYPD easily. After killing his fifth victim the FBI decided to step on the NYPD's toes and the return of Special Agent Porter brings a tense vibe to the squad. During this time Olivia has been seeing a wealthy man who she starts to suspect having an involvement in this case, but her suspicion might turn her into victim number 6.

Suggestive Porter/Benson and Suggestive Stabler/Benson

DISCLAIMER: In creating this story, I, the author intend it for entertainment purposes only. I do not own anything.

Chapter one; Victim number 5.

It was no shock to anyone on the squad what they saw when they walked into that hotel room. The fifth hotel, the fifth room, and the same scene, the poor tormented body of a young woman, in her early 20s. Her body was covered in bruises and cuts, scrapes, and a gash on her head. Her arms were tied up to each bed post, and a gag in her mouth. It was gruesome, and stomach turning. This had to be the work of the media named "Craig's List Killer" Through out the last few months someone had been setting meet up "massage" dates with various women through Craig's List. The four, now five women who were coming met up with a fatal fate. Each murder was different. Was he new at these? The investigation lead them to believe he wasn't he was too careful, not even a drop of evidence. And no real way to connect any of these murders other than the way each women's body was staged so tragically. One had been strangled, another was poisoned, one woman laid in her hotel room and slowly bled to death. The fourth victim, her throat was slit, and now this woman, the youngest of all them, had a gash in her head so deep and thick that her brain was in view.

The NYPD tried to hide the cases from the media but they had gotten their paws on them. They were big stories, people were afraid. Every day the headlines for the last month were bashing the Department for being incompetent. For not being able to catch this killer, none of the detectives could even get into work without being bombarded with questions every which way. It didn't help that Craig's List wasn't cooperating with the investigation.

Outside the station house reporters, camera men and protesters with signs lined the side walks. Police had put up barriers so the could get through, but just getting out of the car was hard enough. Elliot and Olivia had just come back from the hotel where the latest crime scene was, a hotel worker talked, it had already hit the news. They got out of the car, and questions were being shouted at them from every direction. Benson tried to walk past but a man stuck his microphone in her face,

"Detective Benson, can you confirm that this is the work of the Craig's List Killer again." he asked

"I have no comment." she said brushing by them.

"Do you have no comment because your department can't do it's job and keep people safe?" a woman shouted from another station.

Elliot and Olivia only exchanged glances and made their way inside ignoring the rest of the questions being shouted out at them.

"How is this guy better than us?" Olivia asked Elliot, she was truly really losing it with this case, not sleeping, hardly eating, unable to think. She thought one murder was bad enough now there was five, and it's being made into their fault.

"He's not, he's going to slip up hopefully this is the time." Elliot said making his way into the elevator. Olivia followed.

"That's what you said the first time, and the second time and third time...how many more women have to die for us to 'get lucky' for his mistake. How can this person be untraceable. It's been a month and half and we don't have one lead." Olivia frowned, this had been really hard on her, everyone was so quick to blame the police, the detectives, and she just knew that now the department heads would probably wisk this away from them since they apparently couldn't solve anything. But that wasn't the only problem she was in fear for those other women, two of those women who were murdered had children. And it was truly a terrible terrible case.

"Liv, he might be smart, but we're smarter, he might be strong, but we're stronger. We will find this guy." He said to her, trying to be reassuring, she hadn't been doubting this case until recently, and if they started doubting then really the were going to lose to him, and Elliot didn't want that to happen, no one did.

"You better hope so." Olivia said, the elevator dinged, "A lot of innocent women's lives depend on it." She added, leaving the elevator before him, officers were buzzing all over that building it was really crowded, fast pace, head ache inducing. She walked up the hall, Elliot behind her.

Olivia tilted her head when she noticed a man standing at her desk, not just any man, her boyfriend the one she maybe once mentioned a few months ago when no one was listening so she wouldn't feel guilty about not telling anyone. His name was Parker Perry, a stupid name if you asked her but she wasn't going to judge him on it, when she first met him she told him it sounded like a bad defense attorney's name. He agreed. Parker was handsome, he had dirty blonde hair that was somewhat wavy, he was casual, and would have probably made a great candidate for that show "The bachelor". He was 45, and enormously wealthy, though most of it came from inheritance, he made his own money working in the finical sector. He explained it to her, several times, but she still didn't get it, "basically," he had described it, "I take my money and turn it into more money." that she could understand, just not exactly how. What she also didn't understand was how someone who should be dating 20 year old super models, which he could certain get had even thought about her for more than a second. In fact it had been on his persistence that they started dating.

Through all this time, about six months of being together, which was a long time for her. She never moved in with him though he had asked, she spent the night a very few times, and had probably been the worst girlfriend he had ever had, and it was unusual to her why he didn't argue with her very much, and it didn't bother him when she had to blow off dates for work, or that she was working all the time. He didn't get jealous over the time she spent with Elliot, in fact almost encouraged it, and if she had the time to really sit down and mull this over, she maybe would have noticed that there was something off about their relationship. Unfortunately, it crossed her mind for all of five seconds one night before falling asleep and forgetting about it. She didn't feel like she should complain with her luck with men this was practically a miracle.

She made a face when she saw him, she actually didn't want to see him, just from what she had been through she didn't really want to see anyone.

"Hey..." She said to his back, he turned around from looking at her desk.

"Who's the model?" Elliot joked giving Olivia's arm a tug, and walking around the two to leave them alone, she turned her head to glare at him. And then brought it back.

"How did you get in here?" she asked him, it wasn't the best greeting but it made him smile.

"You don't have a picture of us on your desk." He said to her, also in the same not decent greeting mode.

"Not yet.." she answered back.

"That sounds hopeful." he smirked, he liked her sarcasm. "I brought you lunch." he said handing her a bag of take out. She tried to smile but after what she had just come back from she really wasn't that hungry she didn't know if she'd ever be hungry again.

"But...you don't look like you're very hungry." he added in seeing her expression toward the idea of eating.

"Uhm, not right now but eventually sometime in my life I will eat, and I appreciate the effort on your part." she tried to get around it.

"You haven't called me back in three days." he tried to sneak in there, he knew she would probably get upset over him bring it up but he was concerned.

"Yeah, I've been working." she said a little sarcastically and almost annoyed, clearly there was big thing going on.

"Not according to the news." he joked, offered a smirk but she didn't offer it back. Only that, 'I can't believe you said that' look.

"I know that was supposed to be funny-" she started

"I know I'm sorry, I know things are tense right now." he added "I should go now probably I just hadn't seen or talked to you in awhile." these moments were awkward even for him. But he was curious to see how close they were, and what was happening in his girlfriend's life.

"Yeah I'll call you when I get a chance." She gave him her blow off line. Even Elliot who had a good time ease dropping on this conversation knew that he'd be waiting a few good days to hear from her again. She looked down at her desk in the typical get back to work mode that her mindset had been at lately. But everyone in the unit was feeling that way. Here they were not one step closer to finding out anything. And the day was only starting.

Perry turned to leave and Elliot and Olivia exchanged looks, he gave an unamused look at her like she wasn't trying hard enough to make it work. Not that it was any of his business, but it was the face of his opinion. She rolled her eyes at him she could feel it just from the look that she should probably end that better.

She turned around, "Hey." she said Perry stopped and looked at her.

"Thank you for lunch. When I take a dinner a break we can get together. Tonight." she added in maybe making this a little bit of better situation. He smiled, he liked the idea of that. As did she but she did like the idea of food in general, so in her mind it was a win/win.

"Great." he said, Olivia nodded, and the moment was still awkward, and finally, Perry left.

Elliot held his silence for a few moments but couldn't wait any longer.

"So that was awkward." he threw out there.

"Some privacy probably would have changed that." she tossed back at him.

"I was waiting to be introduced." Elliot pointed out it. Olivia looked wide eyed at him. She couldn't even remember if the two of them had met yet.

"I thought you guys had already met." she said apologetically.

"Sorry, we sit at different tables at the rich handsome gentlemen's club." Elliot joked. She did not look impressed but did lighten up a bit sitting down at her desk opening a file then looking at him.

"See I was under the impression you had to be rich and handsome to get into those kinds of clubs." She raised her brow at Elliot he only smirked.

"Your boyfriend seems so nice why do you have to be so mean to him that way?" Elliot sneered turning the joke around on Perry. Olivia only smiled, which was the first time in the last few days that she actually thought something was kind of funny.

The day carried on, the hours were much longer than usual and it only got worse when the city head of the FBI marched into the precinct and announced his new position as head of this case. The feds were all over the building being annoying and bossy in every way possible. Actually making this job even harder. And in fact, Benson couldn't wait to leave for dinner, however it didn't look like it was happening any time soon.

Munch, Elliot, and Olivia, had been hiding from the feds upstairs in the loft area. They had their own ideas and leads that they didn't want to share, but orders were orders and at least if they couldn't find them then they wouldn't have to tell them anything.

"We could just post a bunch of fake Craig's list ads..." Munch suggested.

"Yeah but each murder has been a month or so apart. We'd have to just wait around just to hopefully get lucky?" Elliot sighed.

"And the Craig's List killer could be long gone by then." Olivia threw out there. He was probably already on the run she thought.

"Did we ever come to the possibility that he knows how to get around us because he might be one of us?" Munch added in. Olivia only frowned. There was a likely possibility of that happening.

"Five dead women and we have nothing." Olivia sighed aggravated by this, she pressed the tip of her thumb against her cheek and her finger tips along her forehead. This was so unbelievably frustrating it was giving her a headache. Her headache only got worse when she heard a familiar yet out of place voice start to speak from behind the group of them;

"Oh sorry, did I crash your party?" Porter said to the surprise of the three of them. Olivia only closed her eyes really hard, this would only get worse before it would get better.

"Ahh, the worlds _classiest_ Fed." Munch joked.

"Okay. I'm done for today." Olivia stood up, she wasn't dealing with this right now too. She tried to walk right past Porter without even acknowledging him. She was going to dinner with Perry no matter what, especially now that Porter was here, hopefully it would be a long event.

"Actually you guys are needed for the night." Porter said lightly attempting to grab Olivia by the arm, and failing miserably as she pulled away at the very thought of it.

"_Actually_" she said rudely mocking him, "I have plans, and if you have a problem with that take it up with my boss."

"_Actually_" he mocked back at her attitude, "I am your boss." he snapped at her, and then looked at Elliot and Munch to make sure they got the message.

"Ah, well in that case I just don't care, but if you do you can just bug my phones or follow me like you usually do, you know since you're so good at it?" she huffed, then walked down the stairs irritated. She was going to leave she didn't care what he said, what did he know about anything anyway?

At dinner Olivia had hardly said anything didn't touch her food at all. Now all she could think about is how mad Porter made her. He was disappointed and had wanted to hear the details he constantly told her it was okay to open up but she rarely ever did. He wasn't about to give up, he could tell he was really close.

"You should come over." he said.

"Right now?" she asked him looking up from her silverware

"Well after we're done eating..yeah." he nodded She only looked at him for a few moments.

"I was going to go.." she started but he interrupted.

"back to work?" he finished for her.

"Yeah I have to go grovel at the feet of the stupid FBI now." she huffed.

"Do it tomorrow." he suggested she thought about this.

"Well. I think I should do it tonight while they're tired and not full of energy and ready to make an example out of someone." she said back.

"Do it tomorrow, and bring them donuts in the morning." he joked smirking at her. She smirked back.

"Feds don't eat..." she started, and realized she was going to quote Porter. "Okay, maybe. I mean I don't actually want to go back there tonight." she gave in kind of easily, she was tired, and in every relationship she had this discussion of 'you always pick work over me' which usually ended in a terrible break up, and right a terrible break up did not have room in her life.

"Wow, you are actually choosing me over your job?" He smiled jokingly asking her.

"Two times in a row." she pointed out.

[end]


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer; I do not own anything!

Chapter 2;

Olivia had slept through the whole night like a baby. Which was unusual. When she stayed at her apartment she was awake every few hours thinking about this case, and her other cases, but she wasn't even thinking about that staying over Perry's.

He on the other hand, was disappointed, that she had slept so well. He loved it when she called him at 3 am to talk almost incoherently and frantically about the horrors of her job. It turned him on, especially when it was his doing that caused her such distress. There were things that he genuinely liked about her too, like that she didn't have a computer or a facebook page, or anything like that. She was pretty, and he almost thought he got lucky when he sought after someone's life to make miserable for his own amusement. And had he maybe not been born a sociopath he argued to himself that he still would have liked her, because he did genuinely like to be with her, even if she wasn't talking about working. He wondered on a daily basis if they were getting close to him, and he knew he was going to have to really push to draw that information out of her. At times he wasn't sure if he would be able to. That worried him, he had crafted several detailed plans about what to do when she got close to his trail, if there was one, the only thing linking him to this case would be her. And he was going to make sure that he was the last person she expected, otherwise he'd have to find a new muse for his time.

She was sleeping still in his bed not wanting to wake up. He was awake, hiding a black ring box with a gold trim around it. Yeah, he was going to do it, he just had no idea at all if she was going to say yes. She was reserved date, but a woman at her age should consider herself lucky that someone was asking them to get married. He thought there was a large possibility that she'd think this too. Didn't most women after their twenties just settle down with whomever they could?

The sunlight was pouring into the room from the half open blinds, It was getting right on her face which was waking her. She scrounged her eyes together feeling the sunlight, meaning that it really was time for her to get out of dream land. She sighed.

"Are you awake yet?" he asked

"Ugh." was all she said, it wasn't very endearing but it made him laugh. "What time is it?" she asked she turned her head into the pillow so she wasn't getting the sunlight in her face.

"It's 7:30." he told her looking at the clock.

"in the morning right?" she half joked talking into the pillow.

"Yes, but if you want to stay in bed until 7:30 tonight I have no objections. I mean as long as I can stay." he joked back and ruffled her hair.

"I wish" she spoke again muffled from the pillow. and then stretched a little. She didn't really want to get up she was quite comfortable. And after a few minutes she turned around. He was still sitting up against the wall.

"Morning." he said softly.

"Yeah it is morning isn't it?" she asked she huffed a little. He smiled at her real innocently but she missed it, since she still had her head pressed into the pillow.

"Are you trying to suffocate yourself?" he joked Suffocation, he thought, there was also an idea. She finally turned over and looked up at him against the wall. Blinked and rubbed her eyes a few times to really finally get awake. She just shook her head no to answer his question.

"I think today is going to be a good day." He smiled at her. She smiled back a little, but was curious as to why.

"...I don't think I do." she sighed.

"Call out sick." he suggested.

"No they're already mad at me." Olivia grunted she still didn't get up really only turned to her side.

He then laid down next to her again like he had been during the night. "I have to ask you something." he said rather quietly.

"If this is the 'why don't you quit' speech-" she started he cut her off immediately

"Marry me." he said, and not asked. It took her a moment to realize that's what he said. And then she closed her eyes before answering.

"Olivia...!" he said trying to get her attention back.

"Marry me, I'm serious." he pleaded again.

"I heard you I am just trying to make sure I am not still sleeping." she semi-joked but in her head she was certain she was really dreaming.

"You aren't! I'm not kidding. I want to get married." he almost demanded and that turned her off to the idea but in her head she was thinking 'Here I am in my forties, no one is ever going to ask me this again what I am doing why aren't I excited?' but she wasn't excited in fact it made her oddly curious to the whole situation.

"Why...?" she asked she looked at him funny. She was shocked by this, they hadn't been dating long enough for this kind of commitment at all.

"If we get married you could quit your job, you wouldn't have to work another day in your life." he said with as much heartfelt effort as he could, getting her to say yes to this was harder than he thought.

"And you mean actually be able to sleep at night? That's no fun." she pointed out to him, teasing a little even thought it was quite a serious moment.

"You slept pretty good last night." he smirked, this was true, she slept better last night than ever, so maybe this was a good thing.

"I did." she added simply, and she smiled a little.

He pulled out his ring in the black box with the gold trim, and opened it up for her. At the sight of it her eyes widened wow he was really really serious about this wasn't he. This was either going to happen or it wasn't it, and there was a marvelous diamond ring staring her in the face wagering the outcome of her decision.

The ring was beautiful, and there was no doubt about it. It had three diamonds on top, the one in the middle was much larger than the two on the side, and then very tiny diamonds went around the entire band of the ring. On the back there were two birth stones very tiny, and embed in the band, neither of which were Perry's or Olivia's. And in tiny white cursive letters it said "one love" it was hard to read. But the bottom of the band wasn't something she could see. The ring itself, had belonged to another woman from a 2 years ago who was murdered, her name was Anita Perez, her wedding was only 3 days away before she was murdered. Her engagement ring was never found, because Perry had it.

As a spectator of this case that's when he first saw Olivia. At first the case looked like a rape homicide but her future husband had told the police the two of them had been intimate, and she was walking over to her sister's to check in on them, when she was beaten to death in an ally at 1 in the morning. The police had initially gone after Anita's ex-boyfriend, he had several domestic complaints against him from his past relationship with Anita, and she even reported that she thought he was stalking her. With the little evidence the police had against him, he still ended up in jail for Anita's murder.

Anita had just been a victim of opportunity for Perry. One night when he was coming home bored, he saw her by herself, and then struck. When he had come back with the other spectators to watch the crime scene investigation, it was then he struck up the idea to get up close and personal with the people who had to clean up his work. And he had to find a way to do it that would be safe for him, and still enjoyable.

At the scene of Anita's murder he heard a member of the media call out her name, Detective Benson, and then he went home and started on his research. She wasn't married, she didn't have any children, or any family. And it seemed like a perfect opportunity for him to be 'creative with his work'

He stalked her for over a year, find out what she liked, what she hated, the places she liked to hang out. Where she did her laundry and her groceries, and then had to find a really creative way for them to meet. One where it would seem absolutely accidental. Something cute that girls fell for like in romantic movies. So one day when she was getting coffee before work, he was in front of her, and 'accidentally' almost tripped and happened to spill his iced coffee mostly on her. It was planned, and it had the reaction he was hoping for. He had tried to be such a gentleman about it after, helping her clean up, paying for her coffee, offering to buy her a new shirt etc, that she was taken by how bad he felt for the situation that to her was clearly an accident, and could have happened to anyone. When he asked for her number after, so maybe they could get coffee again, she was reluctant to give it to him. That is until he promised not to spill it on her which made her laugh.

That had happened over six months ago, it had been years in the planning and Perry wasn't done yet. He wanted this to go on. But Olivia had been smarter than he expected, much less desperate than the typical single woman he expected and it was creating an issue for him. When she didn't jump at the chance to marry him right now it was shocking, absolutely shocking to him. But he had to play the good guy still.

"Liv.." he said still waiting her reply, the sight of that ring really took her by shock, her mouth was kind of stuck open looking at it.

"You must really like me to ask me to marry you before I've brushed my teeth or put any make up on." she joked, still not answering the question.

"Well you might need to brush your teeth, but you definitely don't ever need to wear make up." he played back a little, still waiting for that Yes yes yes! That romantic comedy chick flick girls give up.

When he said that about her, she smiled more than she had in weeks, it was that simple compliment that had made her so happy. He took that smile as a yes. He knew the yes was coming, and she started to speak but her phone rang from the side table next to the bed.

"Don't get it." he said "this is too important." the phone was distracting her from the matter at hand that he was trying to win over. But it rung again, however she sat up and answered it still smiling.

"Benson..." she said she was still looking at Perry.

"Uh-huh. I know..." she spoke into the phone.

"Is it Elliot?" Perry asked and Olivia shushed him, and she went back to her conversation on the phone.

"Well I will...I will be there-." she started saying into the phone when Perry started to yell into it from the side of her,

"She might be late she just got engaged!" he smirked and she looked wide eyed at him. And mouthed 'oh my god' she couldn't believe he had just done that, in her head she didn't think she had said yes yet.

"BYE" he added and took the phone from her and hung up.

"...that was the FBI." she pointed out, in fact it had been Porter who called her in the morning, to half scold her for taking off last night. But he was taken back by the shouting man in the background about her new engagement.

He took the ring out of the box, he wasn't going to ask her again, since now the news had hit her work place surely. It was like she already had said yes. He slid the ring down her finger and she just looked at it like she still didn't know what to say.

"It looks .. nice.." was all she could muster up to say.

"It looks like it belongs there." he smiled, those kinds of lines had the sell didn't they? All girls bought into that romantic stuff, or at least he assumed they did.

"I have to take a shower and go to work..." she said starting to get up.

"And don't forget to brush your teeth." he joked, that made her smile again.

–

On her way to work, Olivia had shoved her engagement ring in her pocket. For some reason she thought the more she hid this the better. It wasn't anyone's business that she got engaged or not. And she didn't actually want to tell them. On a scale from 1-10 on her thoughts of Porter keeping his mouth shut about it she ranked him at 2.2, everyone probably already knew. Hopefully they wouldn't have cared, but that didn't seem to be their usual sentiment about these kinds of things. And she dreaded going into the station because she didn't want to have to talk about it. She was actually embarrassed at the thought that someone her age was just getting engaged now.

She took the elevator up to her floor by herself. Made an easy entrance where she didn't look or say hello to anybody. It was Fin who first noticed her come in.

"You don't look like a girl who just got engaged." he joked to her, she only smirked a little.

"Well did he get you any bling?" Fin joked again, she smiled this time but she just ignored the question.

"Let's get back to work." she said going over to her desk Elliot was sitting at his waiting for her flash her ring or something, but he was shocked when she didn't, she didn't even say good morning.

"Uh morning..." he said waiting for her response.

"Morning." she said back. Opening a file and starting to read through it from yesterday's case.

"Should I congratulate you?" Elliot asked curiously.

"If you want." she replied still not looking up from her desk.

"Do you want me to congratulate you?" he asked again, she really didn't have the demeanor for someone who just got engaged she didn't seem happy about it at all.

"I don't care if you do, I just don't want to talk about it." she huffed.

"Did something happen?" Elliot questioned her again, missing the point of what she had just said.

"Yeah Perry asked me to marry him. That's what happened." she snapped rudely back at him apparently this was a touchy subject with her, but even she didn't really know why.

"Did you say yes?" Elliot looked at her, he didn't see a ring or anything maybe she said no, maybe that's why she was in a bad mood. Olivia just sighed and pulled the ring out of her pocket and held it up to him. She didn't say anything else but put it back in her pocket again. It didn't really answer his question but he was assuming that meant she did agree to marry him. But she for some reason didn't feel like that was a reason to be happy about.

The day had gone in and people talked to her about it all day and she pretended to smile and be happy about it. But at the end of the day she wasn't packing up to go home like everyone else. The only person she hadn't seen all day or talked to since the morning had been Porter. Maybe he was avoiding her. She didn't mind though, she liked it better when he avoided her.

"You want to get something to eat with me?" Olivia asked Elliot who was getting ready to leave, he was taken back by her invitation since they hadn't talked much all day other than that tid bit this morning.

"Sure, I'll buy you dinner." he offered to her hopefully that would make her talk about what was bothering her.

"Actually I was just going to buy you a candy bar from the vending machine so we could stay here and work a little more." she said half joking. "If you want to take these up to the loft..." she handed him a handful of files and call sheets.

"I want a snickers." he told her, taking them up there like she requested. In a few minutes she returned with his snickers and her skittles and two bottled drinks. Not a very nutritious dinner it would at least pass for a snack. While she was gone Elliot had started looking through the handful of papers she had given him, he noticed that she had dumped her phone, and also Perry's phone. This struck him has really odd. Since she didn't have a warrant to dump his phone not only could she lose her job over it what was the reason behind it?

"Olivia what is this?" he asked handing her the paper with Perry's calls.

"I couldn't figure it out all day." She said on an entirely subject.

"Figure what out?" Elliot questioned she had been acting off today.

"I mean why would he want to marry me? We haven't even been together that long, he doesn't even know me that well, and when I asked him why he even wanted to marry me, it wasn't because that he loved me or something, he pulled some kind of romance novel crap at me and it just doesn't make any sense to me at all. So I kept thinking about it, and then I realized that last night I stayed at his place, because he asked me to, and when the Craig's List Killer struck his fourth victim, he asked me to stay over that night too, and then the same with the third. So then, I went back took all the dates from each of the killing, and every time he's called me more then, than he has any other time. Why would that happen? And how come after the first time that I met him, days after the first women was murdered? How is that coincidence?" she rambled. Elliot just looked and looked at her.

"You sound crazier than Munch right now." he said after a moment of taken that all in.

"...Elliot... I was watching this show one of the nights I couldn't sleep and this woman, she worked in like a crime scene task force or something and this guy sought her out and tried to murder her just because of her job." she argued okay was she really grasping at straws here?

"But Perry hasn't tried to murder you has he?" Elliot asked her and she just stared at him for a minute maybe she was completely crazy.

"I just don't understand I mean, he could date anyone, any extra small wearing d cup long blond haired young model or something and he wants to be with me, why?" she asked him.

"Is that what's been bothering you? Maybe he doesn't want to go out with a bimbo model or something. Olivia, you need time off, I mean you're so desperate to find a lead on this case you're questioning the motives of your boyfriend, and why he would want to be with you based on a t.v show no less. Usually when a guy asks a girl to marry him she hears bells, and you apparently heard sirens. That's not normal. You should be happy. Don't you think maybe he just concerned about you with all those calls? He probably just wanted to know how you were or something. You understand that there are people in the world who actually want to be with you because they like you, and not because they have other motives right?" Elliot reasoned with her, and with what he said it really did make her feel kind of crazy.

"And hey, if you don't want to marry him, then why did you say yes?" Elliot added.

She only thought for a few minutes before answering.

"Elliot, I didn't. That's the other thing, I mean he was like so determined to get me to say that I would and I never even got a chance to say it. That's weird right?" She asked him she thought it was weird, although she did believe Elliot that she was being way too paranoid about the situation.

"Maybe he just really likes you. But listen, if you don't want to go through with it don't. You'll always have a nice committed relationship with paperwork if all else fails." he joked a little. "Either way," he started up "maybe this is a really good indication that you need a break." Elliot offered his opinion but she gave a disapproving look.

"Right now? I couldn't imagine a worse possible time for taking time off. Elliot, remember, serial killer on the lose..." she pointed out as if he had forgotten.

"And the FBI is just going to jam us up the whole time. So, why not? If I was you, I would." he nodded at her but she shook her head.

"I guess it's a good thing you're not me." she smirked. Suddenly, her phone rang, and thankfully it wasn't Perry.

"Benson..." she said. It was the lab, and they thought they got something big on the last crime scene. They were requesting Benson and Stabler's presence.

When the two arrived at the lab, Porter was already there with another FBI agent hanging around, they didn't greet each other or acknowledge much of each other they were just waiting. The tech came over.

"So, when your victim was found her eyes were shut." he started, they all just kind of waited for him to continue. "but, she would have died with her eyes open, and our guy he's really careful, always wears gloves, except, your perp, must've taken them off when he shut her eyes because finger tip oil and sweat left two very hidden finger prints on your victims eye lids." The tech said, and everyone's eyes widened by this, the fact that they had finger prints, or possibly had finger prints? That was amazing.

"Did you run them?" Porter asked.

"Yes they aren't in the system but the second you get a suspect we'll know." the tech answered, but they all looked thoroughly disappointed, Olivia a little less so. When walking back to the car, Elliot looked at her before getting in.

"So..." he started but she interrupted him.

"Perry was finger printed for the stock-exchange or whatever. He's in the system I checked that today." She told him.

"So that's good news then for you isn't it?" he asked her. She just shrugged a little.

"I guess it's sort of good news for all of us.." she put her hand in her pocket and slipped her ring back on.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Olivia sat in the car with Elliot as he drove back to the station. He noticed she was wearing her ring.

"So, you are engaged right?" He asked, he had been confused with their last conversation.

"Yeah, I am going to get married." She said with a loud sigh.

"Are you going to become Detective Perry?" he teased trying to lighten the mood. Olivia tilted her head and glared at him clearly annoyed.

"Benson suits me just fine thank you." She replied with of snark, she smirked a little after it. "I guess I should let him know, I left in kind of a bad mood this morning. I've ignored his calls all day." She shook her head a bit disappointed in herself, for acting like a teenager when it came to this stuff.

"You got mad at him for asking you to marry him?" He asked her a bit surprised.

"No, I got mad at him for shouting that we got engaged to Porter on the phone, who then told everybody, the nerve of that guy…the nerve of both of them! I didn't even get a chance to say yes before he told him, before Porter told everybody else, it's the only time somebody is going to ask me that and I don't even get to answer, it just… I don't know, it's just I wanted to happen and it be normal." Olivia confessed to him, Elliot looked very sympathetic toward her, but he understood what she meant.

"If you just tell him what you told me then he'll understand. You deserve to be happy Liv, take some time off, go run away with Perry elope, come back fresh, new, and not exhausted, It'll be the best choice you'll ever make." Elliot advised her, he sounded sincere in his statements.

"Elliot, I'll never be able to relax while you guys are solving this without me, we just got our first lead we've ever had, I need to be here, getting married can wait, somebody else is going to die that can't wait." Olivia reasoned with him.

Elliot took a deep breath, she could always use this excuse, he understood where she was coming from but he didn't seem to mind Perry, and neither did she, and he worried about Olivia being alone, married to work, he didn't want that for her and she clearly didn't either.

"There will always be an excuse like that." Elliot sighed she must've made up her mind by now. He glanced over at Olivia as he drove, she leaned her head against the window.

After a few moments of silence Olivia lifted her head up from the window. "Can you take a left down there? It's half a block from Perry's apartment, I think I need to go fix my life before I come back to work." She took a long deep breath and Elliot followed her directions to where to be dropped off.

"And I guess I will see about maybe getting some time." She looked over at Elliot as he pulled the car to the curb. It was dark out.

"Do you want me to walk with you?" Elliot asked and the look on Olivia's face clearly answered his question, she scrunched her brows at him giving him a 'yeah right' look.

"I am good thanks." She said getting out of the car, before she shut the door she bent down to look at him. "I will call you." She added in, Elliot gave a nod and Olivia started her walk toward Perry's apartment.

Olivia did have a key to his place but she had left it at her apartment. He didn't seem to be home and she stood outside the door, and leaned against the wall, and after an hour or so she sat down in the hallway waiting for him to come home. Almost two hours in of her wait, she heard the elevator ding and Perry walked out, he looked very surprised to see her there sitting on the floor.

"Uhm, Hi, I gave you a key didn't I…..?" He asked her.

"You did, I just forgot it, but that's beside the point." She started but he interrupted her noticing that she was still wearing the ring, that made him smile. She directed her eyes down toward the ring again, and pulled it off her finger.

"Wait…." He started he stopped smiling as she took it off and handed it to him. "Are you… are you saying no?" he asked very disappointed, he held the ring in his palm. Olivia's eyes were very glassy she didn't look the way a newly engaged woman would.

"Ask me again." She said quietly.

"If you are saying no…?" He replied a bit confused with a request.

"Ask me to marry you again." She repeated a bit louder.

He paused looking at her very seriously he wasn't sure what she was doing, or why she was being this dramatic, but he took his chances.

"Olivia Benson, will you marry me?" he asked this time, sweetly with sincere tones in his voice. Olivia smiled when he asked, he noticed that immediately, and handed her ring back over to her.

"Yes, Parker Perry, I will marry you." She grinned as she spoke, she put her ring back on and covered her mouth, she was crying but it was out of happiness. They both embraced each other, he wrapped his arms around her and they engaged in a kiss. Her moment happened, something sweet and simple was all she needed, and now she really felt it, that it was going to happen.

Olivia had spent the night with Perry, she woke up early to come into work, in the lobby she heard the elevator ding and the door starting to close. "Hold the elevator please!" she yelled as she ran to it, a hand stuck out to keep the door from closing.

"Thanks." She said as she entered offering a smile then it immediately went to a frown when she saw she was going to be stuck in an elevator with Special Agent Porter.

"Oh… it's you." Olivia snickered at him.

"Some guy wants to marry you and you take off from your work, I always thought you were more dedicated than that." He sneered back at her.

"I guess this would be a good time for me to ask for time off boss, so I can you know get married." She was quite serious in this request, except the boss part, she was putting in a request for time off today.

"With a rapist serial killer out there you are going to leave to go have a honey moon?" Porter scoffed at the thought of her taking time off, he was actually quite surprised, she had always seemed like the work orientated type, that was something he liked about her. He respected her for that.

"Yeah I guess so." She shook her head at the idea he was being way too critical.

"Now is the worst time for you to leave. I mean, I am sure we can handle it without you and all I just thought someone like you had your priorities straight."

She squinted and crossed her brow at him. What a horrible thing to say to her. "Uhm excuse me." She started but the elevator door opened and they were on their floor, Porter rushed out of the elevator then stopped to turn back to say something as she made her way out of the elevator.

"If it comes down to my decision, I wouldn't let you take the time off." He said with a snicker, and that would be true he wouldn't give it to her but not because he didn't want her to have a good time, it might have been that, but mostly because he didn't think they could spare a bright mind like hers.

The day had been quite long Olivia had put in her request for the time off she hadn't heard back about it yet, and she and Elliot spent the day doing extensive research. She decided she wanted to take a break from the desk work, she got up from her seat and headed into the bathroom, after running some water on her face, she washed her hands, she pulled off her engagement ring and put it down on the side of the sink. As she went to grab a paper towel the ring fell onto the floor, she bent down and picked it up, then she saw the engraved words 'One Love' in a swirly fancy print with the two birth stones, and they weren't hers or his. She stared and stared at the engraving. It was like she was having a moment of déjà vu. She had seen this ring before, or something like it. It seemed so familiar to her, and she had no idea why. She got up from the floor and looked in the mirror then back down at her ring.

She put the ring back in her pocket instead of on her finger, and she started to turn really pale, because she had a very specific memory of a picture of this exact ring, with that quote "one love" engraved on the inside, and she remembered it was from a case but she didn't know which one, and she didn't know why it was in the case but she started to take some fast shallow breathes because maybe her first hypothesis was right. Maybe Perry couldn't be trusted, this could not be a coincidence.

After she made her way slowly back to her desk she couldn't focus on the Craig's List Killer case, there was something off about Perry and she knew it, she had known it she should have trusted her instincts, what was with this ring? How did hey get it, why did he have it, and why did he give it to her?

Olivia went to her computer screen and typed in the description of the ring, it came up in a missing property from a case report. The case of Anita Perez, she remembered that case a girl newly engaged walking to see her fiancé late at night, was beaten to death, her engagement ring was missing, and her ex boyfriend was charged and convicted with her murder. Nobody had ever found the ring. It was possible that he had pawned it, and maybe that was how Perry got it, but she had no idea if that was true, she knew the case was weak.

Elliot looked up from his desk he could see from how quiet she was being and how pale she was that something was wrong.

"Hey, did you put in for your time…?" he asked her, she didn't look up from the screen.

"Olivia…" he started again, to get her attention she still didn't look over.

"Yeah.. I did." She answered "I am waiting on Porter's approval, what a joke huh?" she said after a long pause, still not looking at him.

"Don't worry, you'll get it." He assured.

Olivia paused and looked over at him "Elliot…" she wanted to tell him about this, but she just couldn't she had been so happy last night and she had been convinced that there was no conspiracy here. But the ring, that was a sign wasn't it.

"Liv you should go home, you look really tired. Go relax, start to plan your wedding." He joked a little. She didn't smirk or anything, she just stared to get up and grab her things.

"I will see you later." She said taking her bag and walking away. What was she going to do now. She couldn't tell Elliot could she? He was the person to tell, she started to head back to go tell him but then turned around, bumping into Porter again. She huffed annoyed, not even excusing herself.

"Are you leaving?" he asked the obvious.

"Yep." She answered shortly and quickly.

"Well you need to be back tomorrow, I haven't approved your time off I think you should wait until we get somewhere on this guy okay?" Porter said, he sounded sincere and like he needed the help, Olivia only looked at him like she agreed with that statement.

"I understand." She replied honestly. Porter looked down noticing that she was not wearing her ring anymore.

"Did you lose your ring?" he asked jokingly, women and engagement rings he knew were inseparable.

She hesitated to answer, he could tell maybe something had happened with her lack of immediate response "I just put it in my pocket…." She eventually answered.

"Okay well.. I will see you tomorrow." He responded.

Olivia wasn't sure if she was going to go home this thing with the ring being either the ring that went missing during Anita Perez's murder or maybe the exact replica. Either way the odds of such thing occurring were so small that it was most improbable. She had placed the ring in a small plastic bag, who was this guy, why did he have this ring, and why did he ever give it to her. She was determined to find out why this was. She walked several blocks to Perry's apartment, he had seemed so harmless you know, like he had really liked her but what ever was going on was going to stop.

This time she had her key, and when she got to his apartment door she did not knock but came right in.

Perry was in the kitchen he looked happy to see her, especially happy that she didn't feel the need to knock as if she lived there now. That was not the reason she didn't knock, she wanted to appear intrusive, stern.

"Hi gorgeous, how was your day?" he asked somewhat teasingly

She pulled the ring out of her pocket in its plastic bag. "Where did you get this ring?" She asked a sharp heavy tone. He could see that she was not fooled by him at least by his attempt to reuse an engagement ring. She really was smarter than he anticipated and it was becoming a problem for him.

"Well I bought it…." He answered pretending to be confused with her attitude.

"Yeah, _where_ did you buy this? I need to know right now." She demanded, and he was slightly turned on by her demanding attitude, but mostly just wanted to dominate her strength.

"I'm sorry is it like a blood diamond or something?" He said trying to keep the situation light she did not crack a smile and she kept holding the ring up in his face.

"This … this isn't a joke! You need to tell me where you bought this." And she sounded so fierce and serious that it was a bit scary.

"I got it a pawn shop." He answered nonchalantly

"You're a millionaire!" she responded in haste.

"It was a year ago or so before I even knew you, I saw it, I thought it was nice, I was saving it for someone special I don't see what the problem is."

"What shop?" she demanded.

"I really don't remember."

"Do you remember where it was?" she asked him a little nicer.

"In the city…." He said a bit obviously.

She just shook her head no at him, she didn't believe him, she wanted to believe him but she didn't. "You expect me to believe, that you who makes a million dollars a day down on Wall Street, buys jewelry at pawn shops….? You don't even eat left overs! I saw you throw 78 cents in the trash!"

He was really stuck on this one and he was trying to find the easiest way out, finally he sighed heavily. "Olivia… I I didn't get it at a pawn shop." He opened up.

"Yeah I am aware." She replied with sarcasm.

"Before I knew you I did some deals with people who maybe worked with illegal gold and diamond smuggling and I purchased some things from them. I didn't want to tell you because you know it was a crime, it's really secretive I don't know anybody's names or contacts it's all set up I couldn't help you track them down even if I wanted too… how did this even come up? Did you run a background check on the ring I gave you?"

In her head she thought that didn't make sense, gold and diamonds were two separate smuggling businesses, but she was so tired, exhausted and upset that the logistics of his argument got lost in her emotion. "This was stolen from a woman who was murdered two years ago." She finally told him she was really upset, he could tell the thought of wearing that ring was truly upsetting to her, and he secretly enjoyed the thought.

He acted shocked, with a gasp. "Olivia… I … I didn't know .. I am so sorry." He said struggling for words and she just looked at him like she still wasn't sure what to think.

"How—how did you come to find out?" he asked quietly.

"Well .. I worked the case, I remembered the ring, she was just engaged and the ring was missing it had the same stones, the same inscription… I can't wear this. It belongs to Mario Alverez, Anita's fiancé. I am going to give it back to him."

"I think that's a good idea." He nodded in agreement. She didn't know what to think about this. Was it really some mere coincidence? She didn't really believe in coincidences but she just wasn't sure.

"I have to go." Olivia muttered putting the ring back in her pocket. He was very quiet and looked at her solemnly he turned the stove off to stop cooking because he realized this was in fact a serious issue.

"We can talk about this." He spoke very slowly and what seemed like sincerity. Olivia just looked away from him she couldn't look at him or even think about this situation. He started to walk over toward her but she put her hand on the door knob.

"No, no." She said turning the knob starting to open the door.

"Olivia, you can't think-" he started but she cut him off

"I don't know what I think right now but I need to be alone." She pulled the door partly open he leaned over stretching his arm out and shutting the door. Olivia was shocked by this action he hadn't shown many acts of aggression with her before, and this issue was at a far different nature than most of the things they dealt with.

"You should go sit down." He said glancing over to the couch in the other room.

"I really just want to go home." She sighed loudly.

"Well I really want us to talk about this, clearly it's a problem I feel like you don't believe me…." Perry glared at her, and she didn't say anything for a minute she even looked to the left of her and down to the floor.

"Olivia…." He replied with a harsh tone.

"Just give me some time to think about this."

"Time? Olivia, you have to believe me, how do you think I would have gotten a ring like that?"

"I don't know…."

"Think of what you are saying…"

"I know it sounds crazy." She agreed with that part.

"Then stay, go take a shower or a nap go relax I'll get you a new ring, you can pick it out."

Olivia felt in her gut that she shouldn't stay, and yet part of her was telling her that she should, that Perry was harmless, the other part was telling her to leave, to leave now. When she didn't answer right away Perry sighed heavily and looked down at the floor he gave her a hopeless look, she had seen that look on the faces of so many failed relationships and dates before him and she couldn't help start to fester with guilt from the look she was receiving.

She sighed and finally looked at him. There was a strange moment where they both just stared at each other, neither of them willing to give in first she caved first.

She rolled her eyes to herself giving in first wasn't something she was willing to do but he seemed so calm and upset, and she was pretty good at reading a perp, he didn't seem to show off any signs that were concerning. So she would listen to what he had to say, they would discuss it, and she wouldn't accuse him, they would be adults about this situation. But a little part of her still felt worried, didn't feel safe and she tried to push it aside, she was as Elliot had put it earlier too paranoid.

"O-okay, I just need a minute." She said, he moved out of her way and she made her way the bathroom in his apartment.

Perry had three bathrooms in his apartment, all of them were fancy enough, and since he was one person, she felt there was an unnecessary number of bathrooms, however they were all very nice. The one she was in was probably the nicest. She turned the sink on for a minute to run some water on her face. She kept relying on her gut feeling, that this was wrong and she needed to go, she felt it stronger and stronger as she stared at herself in the mirror. She pulled out her iphone and started to send a text to Elliot '….Call me in ten, so we can go to work.' She started to write but she stopped before she hit send to think about it. Was getting out of a difficult relationship situation with work really okay? Should she just deal with this, it could have been the simplest of coincidences.

She turned the sink water off, she took off her jacket it was dark brown leather, she wasn't really dressed up, just dark denim with a navy blue three quarter sleeve blouse, it was warn out really she should have gotten rid of it, but she liked it was comfortable. She put her hands down by her side she pulled off her badge and then she took out her gun. Should she keep it with her? Before she put it down on the sink with her badge and phone she thought that just made incase something happened she would have it, just to be safe… before having to chance to really consider this she heard a loud crashing sound from the other room. The noise made her gasp and holding her gun she ran out of the bathroom. She saw Perry holding his hand, broken glass on the counter and the floor.

She still had her gun in her hand but she put it down on the table to come over to him to make sure he was okay.

"What happened?" she asked in a rushed tone. He had his hand covered and started running it under some water.

"I am fine, just an accident, don't worry." He said very calmly.

"Can I just look at it please, what if you need stitches?" she questioned him very concerned, she took her leader role and moved in front of him, she started to pull his right hand off the left one to see his cut once she started to remove his hand she noticed there wasn't any blood or any cuts she could find on his hand as she started to realize this Perry had slowly started to put his arm around her neck.

"Where…" she started put was cut off from when put his entire arm against her neck pulling her back and starting to cut off circulation, he pulled his other arm up to pull it tighter, Olivia scratched his arms and hand.

"Stoppp—" she tried to say but she was finding it hard to keep her breath she had started to pull and claw at his arms and kick but the more she pulled away it was like the faster she was losing breath. She saw piece of glass on the counter, chipped, sharp and she pushed forward grabbing onto it and cutting her hand, she still held onto it and then pushed the glass into Perry's hand trying to get herself free. The glass cut into her hand as well as the back of his and he yelled in a bit of pain but only a second later she could no longer grip the glass and she could see darkness closing in she tried to grasp for breath and she couldn't. Olivia fell limp in his arms, she was passed out, it was once again harder than Perry expected, and now he actually did have a cut on his hand.

Perry pulled Olivia into the bedroom and laid her down on the bed. He went into the bathroom to clean up his hand. He noticed Olivia's phone on the sink counter, with a text started to Elliot, he deleted what she had written and wrote one for her 'I'm taking some personal time, I'll see you in a few days.' And he sent the message to Elliot, at least he had given himself some time.

Perry brought a wash cloth back into his room, he put her phone in his pocket. And cleaned off her hand it was cut far worse than his, and he really didn't want to get blood all over his nice comforter. He wrapped it like his to help stop the bleeding, and for a moment he seemed caring, but then that started to change as he pulled a medium size black metal box that had a master lock on it. The key wasn't far away just right on his night stand, he opened the box and pulled out two sets of metal handcuffs, and silver duct tape.

He pulled one of her arms up, he found this significantly easier to do when the person he was handcuffing to the bed wasn't awake. After he cuffed her wrist to one side of the bed post he did the same to the other one. And of course he knew she was the type he would yell and scream.

He pulled off a long piece of tape and pulled it over her mouth. Her phone vibrated in his back pocket and he pulled it out, a response from Elliot, it replied "Okay kid, have a good trip."


End file.
